- Daeryong

Someone slapped my back hard, making me jump.

“That was the fiftieth time you’ve sighed today,” Noah laughed.

“Huh?” I asked, a little caught by surprise.

Amos crackled, “Miss her that much already? It’s only been a day.”

“What? What, no…” I muttered, turning back to brushing Titania.

“Don’t worry kiddo, you’ll get to see her in two days,” Amos grinned.

Truth was, I did miss Hana. Well, it wasn’t exactly like I wanted to see her really badly or anything. It was just that without her, it felt like something was missing.

I sighed. I needed to stop being such a baby. I was going to see her in two days.

Max slapped my back this time. He grinned, “Fifty-one.”

- Hana

“Lady Hana, would you like a more detailed tour of the castle today? I don’t think the count gave you a very good tour yesterday. Since the princess is occupied, you’ll be free,” Sir Jaspen suggested over breakfast.

“Mm, that would be wonderful,” I smiled. Sir Jaspen was probably a handful of years older than me, in his prime age. He had charming looks and a winning smile, and seemed to have taken a liking to me. I thought of what Daeryong told me. Maybe I was doing the eye thing to him too.

As Io passed by with the dishes, she whispered playfully, “He fancies you.”

For the majority of the day, we wandered the castle, Sir Jaspen cheerfully explaining the parts of the vast place.

“Ah, at last, the love garden,” Sir Jaspen announced as he held the door open for me. 

I walked outside, entering the colorful garden, full of various flowers. “The love garden?” I asked with a hint of amusement.

“Yes, it’s said that people tend to fall in love easier when in this garden,” he explained, a small smile on his lips.

I bent down to examine one of the plants.

“Ah, Lady Hana, you like Petunias?” he asked.

Instead of looking at the flower, I observed the leaf, laughing at what I found. “Sir Jaspen, this’s isn't a Petunia. It’s an Amory.”

I looked at him, wondering if he knew what that was. I was too hopeful.

“The scent of an Amory flower makes one happy,” I said, picking a flower off and raising it up to Sir Jaspen’s nose. He took in a big breath, and a smile slowly spread on his face, a slightly dazed look in his eyes.

“And the scent of an Amory leaf hinders one’s decision making skills,” I said, taking a few leaves and putting them up to a dazed Sir Jaspen’s nose. “Loosens the tongue, I guess you could say.”

“And how do you feel, Sir Jaspen?” I asked him. He turned his gaze to me, his eyes a little distant.

“How I feel?” he repeated, a smile on his face. “I feel a peculiar sensation in my heart… something warm… and soft…”

“Are you in love, Sir Jaspen?” I asked, holding back a smile.

“Ah, yes. Love,” he smiled dreamily.

I slowly walked away from him, disappearing before he could notice. I walked through the surprising large love garden, making sure to breathe through my mouth and to keep the castle in sight.

After a bit, I found a small bench, well hidden from sight, except for a dark window on the second floor of the castle. I sat down, trying to figure out why the castle was raising so many Amories and other flowers that had deluding scents. History Mistress, who loved flowers, would go crazy to see this garden.

I glanced up at the clear sky, wondering what Daeryong was doing. It would’ve been funny to bring him here and make him smell the Amories.

As my gaze shifted, something caught my eye: a figure in the window. But when I looked closer, the window was yet again dark and empty.

I frowned. I was so sure there was someone there just now…

“What’re you doing here?”

I jumped, turning around to see Kai standing right behind me. How did he sneak up on me…?

“Oh, me?” I said, flustered. “I’m just walking around. Looking around the castle. What’re you doing here? I thought you usually stayed with the princess?”

He snorted, a disgusted expression on his face. Probably the most emotion I’d seen out of him so far. “I spend as much time away from the princess as possible, and the fourth days are off days for me as well.”

“Oh,” I said slowly. Then I realized something, “Wait a second…”

He raised his eyebrows, his pale eyes blank.

“I thought… you didn’t talk to anyone but the princess?” I asked slowly, thinking of his voice that I had just heard. It was soft and smooth. On the lower side, but not a rumble.

Kai sighed and gave me a look, “Whoever’s telling you all these rumors doesn’t really know much about the truth. I’ll talk to anyone if there is a reason to talk.”

“Oh,” I said in a small voice, thinking of cute little Io. “Wait, what’s your reason to talk to me then?”

He grabbed my arms and pulled me up to my feet. “To tell you that you can't stay here. This’s isn't a safe place.”

I frowned, “Huh? This’s a love garden, Kai! What’s dangerous?”

Too late, he was already dragging me away from the Amories and to a different garden. One without flowers, but trees. Apple trees.

“This’s a better garden to spend the day at,” Kai said, picking an apple off the tree and handing it to me. “I usually come here in my free time since not a lot of people know of this place.”

The more I listened to his voice, the more entranced I became. It was soft, almost like a whisper, making the listener listen closer to what he was saying.

I rubbed the apple on my dress, then took a bite into the crisp sweetness.

“Mm, this’s good,” I said. “So, do you know what the princess does in her room?”

Kai shrugged, “I don’t know what she does, but she doesn’t stay in her room.”

“Eh?”

“I was curious once, so I went in her room, and it was empty,” Kai said. “It’s probably to distract from where she actually goes.”

“Oh… that’s odd…” I muttered. “Oh, by the way. Is she really going to be that awful tomorrow?”

“She’ll be more awful than you can imagine,” Kai said, expressionless. “I’d advice avoiding her as much as possible tomorrow.”

“But I’m her lady in waiting…”

Kai gave me a look, “Seeing your face will probably just make her more angry.”

“You know her well…” I commented. “You’ve been working here for a while then?”

He laughed bitterly, “I guess you could say that. I used to serve the Queen, but when the princess was born, I got handed down.”

“So… you’ve been here since you were little?” I asked, trying to add up the numbers in my head.

“I came here when I was your age,” Kai said, watching my expression.

Well… I’m seventeen, and if he’s been serving since before the princess was born… over 30…?

“Wait, how old are you exactly?” I asked hesitantly. He looked like he could easily be the same age as Daeryong…

He smirked at me, “Probably older than what you’re thinking.”

He stood up and brushed off his pants, walking off without warning. I jumped up to my feet and quickly followed after him, unconfident that I would be able to find the way back myself.

As I followed Kai to wherever he was going, I stayed a few steps behind, wanting to not come off as rude if he really was a lot older than me.

But how old exactly was he…? It would be unbelievable for him to be anywhere over 25…

“Oof!” I puffed as I bumped into Kai. He had stopped walking while I had been preoccupied with my thoughts.

“If you’re not gonna watch where you’re walking, you might as well walk next to me,” he said, pulling me to his side. “And why’re you following me anyways?”

“I don’t know the way back…” I said, looking down.

He sighed, “I wasn’t even going back to that hallway… Fine, I’ll take you.”

We took a series of confusing turns, and ended up back in the corridor where my room was.

“Thank you,” I gave him a small curtsy.

He looked at me with amusement. “You want to eat dinner with me later?”

I was surprised by his offer, but smiled and agreed.

“Later,” Kai said, walking off.